Method and apparatus for winding yarn on bobbins in selectively variable patterns



Feb. 6. 1968 A H WOLF A 3,367,588

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN ON BOBBINS IN SELECTIVELY VARIABLEPATTERNS Filed Nov. 29, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 70

I INVENTOR fi e/85 T WOL F BY. M WY ATTORNEY$ Feb. 6, 1968 H. WOLF3,367,588 I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN ON BOBBINS Filed Nov.29, 1965 IN SELECTIVELY VARIABLE PATTERNS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORH0126 7' W0 A F 7 BY v /1417? ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1968 i wo F 3,367,588

- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN ON BOBBINS IN SELECTIVELYVARIABLE PATTERNS Filed Nov. 29, 1965 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Hams-rn a 11-- ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1968 H. WOLF IN SELECTIVELY VARIABLE PATTERNSFiled Nov. 29, 1965 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 i z i 176a M 1650 w 5 164 i U i16.5 115 i 150 J1 190 i I I r 176 3 201 I Q L J flyfi INVENTOR H0857WaLF ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1968 H. WOLF METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDINGYARN ON BOBBINS IN SELECTIVELY VARIABLE PATTERNS Filed Nov. 29, 1965 '7Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR HO/EST Wu F ATTO NEYS Feb. 6, 1968 woLF3,367,588 METHOD AND APPARAT FOR WINDING YARN ON BOBBINS IN SELECTIVELYVARIABLE PATTERNS Filed Nov. 29, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 fly]! 12 2 2INVENTOR filo/zsr WOLF ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1968 7 Filed Nov. 29,

H WOLF 3,367,588

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN ON BOBBINS IN SELECTIVELY VARIABLEPATTERNS INVENTOR 290,937- WOLF BY CQ ale/ AT'T RNEYS United StatesPatent C 3,367,588 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN N ROBBINS INSELECTIVELY VARI- ABLE PATTERNS Horst Wolf, Albershausen, Germany,assignor to Zinser- Textitmaschinen G.m.b.H., Ebershaeh (Fils), GermanyFiled Nov. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 510,196 Claims priority, applicationGermany, Dec. 9, 1964,

30 Claims. Ci. 242-463) ABSCT OF THE DISCLQSURE The invention relates tothe control of yarn or the like while it is being wound in a textilemachine upon a removable support to form a body of revolution ofcontrolled shape.

More particularly the invention relates to a method for continouslycontrolling the longitudinal position of the moving point of applicationof the yarn or the like which is being wound up, thereby controlling thefinal shape of the wound body. The invention also relates to apparatusfor performing the method.

In this specification the support or former receiving the yarn isreferred to as a bobbin but this term is to be understood to include anysuitable, known type of support for the wound material, for example, atube, a sleeve, or the like. Furthermore, with the object of simplifyingthe particular description, the term yarn is employed herein, but theinvention is applicable, equally to any type of thread-like material,for example, thread, roving or slubbing, whether of synthetic or naturalfibers which can be manufactured or processed upon textile machines, andthe expression yarn or the like includes also such materials.

In textile machines, for example, prespinning, spinning or twistingmachines, wherein yarn is wound upon bobbins, in order to achieve thedesired construction and shape of this wound body, known in the art asbuild, it is usual to automatically adjust the longitudinal position ofthe winding point of the yarn, i.e., the running-on point with respectto the length of the bobbin axis.

This longitudinal position of the winding point is determined by therelative position of a lifting member, for example a lifter rail, whichis reciprocated by a suitable drive so as to move periodically along areciprocal path parallel to the bobbin axis with respect to a fixedsupport member. Upon one of these members, usually the fixed member,there is mounted the bobbin and upon the other member there is mountedthe winding device, for example, a thread guide or a ring traveller. Bythe reciprocating movement of the lifting member the relative positionof the winding point can be suitably varied. In known textile machinesof this type a separate driving apparatus is provided for driving thelifting member, this driving apparatus having direction reversing meansto control the reciprocating movement. This direction reversal iseffected by a control device which includes two motion reversing controlelements which are responsive to the position of the reciprocatinglifting member and serve to effect reversal of the movement thereof atthe proper time and position.

3,367,588 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 In order to obtain a prescribed build orshape of the wound body, it is necessary that the position of the motionreversing control elements be adjustable during the winding operation ina direction parallel to the reciproeating movement. In a known textilemachine this adjustment of the reversing elements is effected by anindependent adjusting drive. Therefore, any variations of the deliveryspeed of the yarn cannot be taken into account when adjusting thereversing elements so that the shape of the wound body may beinadvertently changed within certain limits by fluctuations in thewinding speed.

Attempts have been made to avoid this disadvantage and to achieve auniformly wound configuration of the wound body, but the alreadyproposed control devices of this type are comparatively complicated andhave been subject to faults. Moreover, considerable difiiculties areencountered in the design of such control devices when they are requiredto produce configurations of the wound body which are very differentfrom each other. In practice, it may be necessary to have the facilityto adjust the displacement velocity of the reversing elements withinvery wide limits, for example in the ratio 1:150, because, according tothe fineness of the yarn which is to be wound, the prescribed windingconfiguration and the delivery speed of the yarn, such adjustmentvelocity must be variable to a high degree.

The basic purpose of the present invention is to provide a method ofcontrolling the axial position of the winding point of application of ayarn which will make it possible to obtain any desired windingconfiguration which is practically independent of fluctuations in thedelivery speed of the yarn, and wherein the mean adjustment velocity ofthe reversing elements can be varied within wide limits in aparticularly simple manner. Furthermore, it is an object of theinvention to provide a method whereby wound bodies of the most variedconfiguration can be produced.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in apparatus for controllingthe longitudinal position of the winding point of application of yarn orthe like upon bobbins of textile machines of the type in which areciprocatable lifting member effects relative reciprocating motion inthe axial direction of the bobbin between a bobbin support and a supportfor yarn winding means while yarn is delivered to the bobbin at acontrollable delivery speed, and including means for controlling thereversals in direction of movement of the lifting member comprisingmotion reversing control elements responsive to the position of thelifting member, and including means for adjusting in timed dependence onthe delivery speed of the yarn at least one of the reversing controlelements in the axial direction of the bobbin between said reversals.

The method of the invention for winding textile bobbins with suchapparatus includes measuring successive control time intervals whoseduration is proportional to A/v Where A is a time factor settableaccording to required winding conditions and v is the yarn deliveryspeed, and adjusting the reversing control element in said timeintervals by path increments whose length is independent of the yarndelivery speed.

The adjusting movement of the reversing control element is thus relatedto the yarn delivery speed by virtue of the fact that successive timeintervals are measured, whose length is substantially inverselyproportional to the yarn delivery speed and during which the respectivemotion reversing control element can be adjusted through a predeterminedlength of path, which, in the following description, will be referred toas a path increment.

In order to make it possible to vary the adjustment movement and theadjustment speed of the reversing control element having regard to thedesired form or build of the wound body, the factor A and/or the pathincrement can be made adjustable. In particular, arrangements can beprovided whereby the magnitude of A and/or of the path increment can bevaried according to a program over the time duration of a bobbin windingoperation. In conjunction with further features of the invention, whichwill be described in more detail below, for achieving independentcontrol of the two reversing control ele mcnts, there will be obtained apractically unlimited flexibility for selecting the configuration of thewound body. The variation of the factor A or of the path increment maybe effected with advantage according to a time program. In many cases,however, it may be appropriate to design the program in dependence uponthe total length of the adjustment path.

According to a preferred method, at the beginning of each time intervalthe adjusting movement of the reversing control element is automaticallyinitiated and the longitudinal displacement of the reversing controlelement is subdivided into incremental paths of equal magnitude and uponeach incremental path being traversed, a counting pulse is generated bya signal generating device, said counting pulses being delivered insuccession to a counting device and counted thereby and, upon reaching apresettable count value, a disconnecting signal is generated foreffecting the automatic suspension of the adjusting movement of thereversing control element.

The Preferred form of the method makes possible the use of a relativelyhigh instantaneous adjustment speed of the motion reversing controlelements, whereby the method may be suited to the most varied windingconditions met with in practice.

The winding control apparatus may accordingly comprise a time intervalgenerator, said time interval generator being served by at least onequantity functionally related to the delivery speed of the yarn for thepurpose of measuring the control time intervals and for the purpose ofgenerating a first switching pulse at the beginning of each control timeinterval and including also a switching device to which the firstswitching pulse is delivered, said switching pulse initiating theadjustment movement of the reversing control element.

The time interval generator may be of any desired construction providedthat it is so designed such that it can measure time intervals of thelength A/ v.

It has been found to be particularly advantageous to use a time intervalgenerator including a synchronous motor, whereby a cam disc can bedriven for the periodic operation of a switch.

By each of such operations, a first switching pulse is generated. Thesynchronous motor can be so supplied that its rpm. is strictlysynchronous with the delivery speed of the yarn. However, it has provedto be satisfactory in many cases if the delivery means for the yarn isdriven by an asynchronous motor while the synchronous motor assigned tothe time interval generator is served with electrical energy of the samefrequency as the asynchronous motor. By appropriate design of theasynchronous motor it is possible to arrange matters so that even in theevent of substantial fluctuations of frequency and voltage in the supplysource for the asynchronous motor, the ratio of the speeds of the twomotors will fluctuate only to a negligible degree with respect to thebuild of the winding body. As an example of this, it may be mentionedthat in an apparatus in accordance with the invention Where there was afluctuation of the supply voltage of 20%, the corresponding ratio of thetwo speeds fluctuated only by 1%.

In a further preferred practical form of the invention, it is arrangedthat the time interval generator comprises an integrating and pulsegenerating device whereby a quantity approximately proportional to theyarn delivery speed, preferably the periodicity or the voltage of thesupply energy of the driving device for the yarn delivery, can beintegrated with respect to time. This device may preferably be sodesigned that each time a prescribed, preferably adjustable, integrationvalue is reached, the

device is reset automatically with the simultaneous generation of afirst switching pulse. By means of a time interval generator designed insuch a manner it is possible to measure in a simple manner successivetime intervals of a length A/v. By making use of adjustability of theintegrating value the magnitude of the time factor A can be varied.

The adjusting means for adjusting the motion reversing control elementor elements can be of any suitable type. In a preferred practical formof the invention the adjusting means includes a directionally reversiblestepping mechanism for adjusting the reversing element or elements. Inanother preferred practical form of the invention the adjusting means isdesigned as a directionally reversible electric adjusting motor.

If the adjusting means is so designed that it operates withsubstantially constant adjusting speed, then the adjusting motion of thereversing control element must be arrested in each time interval afterthe performance of the prescribed adjusting movement. This may beeffected by arranging that the adjusting means by self-arresting.However, it can also be arranged that a drive member of the adjustingmeans is continuously maintained in operation and that the inception andinterruption of the adjusting motion of the reversing control elementsis effected by the engagement and disengagement of a clutch, and ifnecessary, by the operation of a brake coupled to the said clutch.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which schematicallyillustrates a few embodiments of the invention, and in which:

FIGURE la is a perspective view of a stretch twisting machine which isfitted with the control apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 1b is a stretch twisting assembly such as is employed in themachine according to FIGURE 1a;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of an example of an adjusting device foradjusting the reversing control elements;

FIGURE 3 is a block schematic diagram of a control arrangement such ascan be employed for controlling the adjusting device of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a second practical example of an adjusting device;

FIGURE 5 is a block schematic diagram of an example of a controlarrangement for controlling the adjusting device according to FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a third practical example of a control device;

FIGURE 7a is a block schematic diagram of an example of a controlarrangement for a control device according to FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7b is a variant of the device for determining the length of theadjusting path represented in the block schematic diagram of FIG. 7a;

FIGURE 8 is a schematic representation of a preferred practical exampleof a time interval generator;

FIGURE 9 is a block schematic diagram of a further preferred practicalexample of a time interval generator.

FIGURES 10 to 20 show sectional representations of winding bodies suchas are produced in accordance with the method of the invention whereinthere is shown at the right-hand side the associated time path diagramof the adjusting paths of the upper and lower reversing elements of therespective winding body, during a bobbin filling operation.

For simplifying the understanding of the drawings, the followingdescription of the figures will allocate the same reference charactersto corresponding illustrated parts throughout the various views.

The stretch twisting machine represented in FIGS. la and lb comprises adrive head stock it), a tail stock 12, a base frame 14' and a pluralityof stretch twisting devices,

and is intended for the stretch twisting of synthetic yarn. Theindividual lengths of yarn, of which, for the sake of clarity, only oneis represented at 11 in FIG. 1a are drawn off from the supply spoolswhich are not shown in the drawing and which are mounted upon a creellikewise not shown in the drawing, which will usually be arranged uponthe supports 15. The yarn 11 proceeds in the direction of the arrow Dfirst through a pair of traction rollers comprising an upper roller 16and a lower roller 30 and then in the direction of the arrow A to thestretching roller 18. After leaving the stretching roller 18, which hereserves as the thread delivering device, the yarn is twisted. At thispoint, the yarn runs through a guide 47 and then through a traveller 21rotating upon the twisting ring 35. This traveller serves here as thewinding-on-member. After passing through the bend of the traveller 21,the yarn is wound up in the form of a wound body 23 upon a bobbin 22arranged upon a rotating spindle.

For the sake of clarity, only one bobbin 22 is shown in FIG. 1a. Inactual fact, however, all of the spindles 50 are fitted in the samemanner with bobbins. The rollers 18 are driven from a separateelectromotor, not shown in detail in the drawing, which is arrangedinside the driving head stock 10. The delivery speed at which the yarnis delivered to the bobbin is proportional to the speed of this motor.The spindles 50, upon which the bobbins, such as 22, are fixed, aremounted upon a stationary spindle bed 51. The winding member, in thiscase the traveller 21, runs around the ring 35 which is arranged uponthe ring holder 75. These ring holders, such as 75, fixed upon a liftingrail 104, can be driven to perform periodic lifting motions by means ofa conventional reciprocating drive device which is provided in the headstock 10, and which is therefore not shown in the drawing in detail.

This reciprocating drive device may, for example, comprise a hydraulicjack, whose direction of motion is reversible by means of a controlslide valve. The control of the reversals in movement of the support 104is effected in this case by a respective lower motion reversing controlelement and an upper motion reversing control element which responddirectly or indirectly to the vertical position of the ring holdersupport 104. These two motion reversing control elements are adjustablealong a path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bobbins by meansof an individual adjusting arrangement. The adjusting arrangement can beof any suitable design, for example, it may have the type ofconstruction shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6. In these three figures eachreversing control element 100 and 101 respectively is arranged uponthreaded shaft 102 and 10.3 so as to be non-rotatable with respectthereto. For this purpose, the control elements may be supported on afixed machine part for vertical sliding movement. By rotating therespective threaded shaft extending parallel to the bobbin axis, thelongitudinal position of the motion reversing control element can beadjusted. These threaded shafts and motion reversing control elementsare arranged in the drive head stock in the machine of FIGURE la.

These motion reversing control elements, such as 100 and 101, directlysense the vertical position of the ring holder carrier 104 in thepractical example according to FIG. 2. For this purpose, this carrier104 is provided with an extension 105 and the sensing members 106, 107of the motion reversing control elements 100 and 101 respond to theposition of this extension. The sensing operation is preferablycontactless in this practical example, for example, it is accomplishedby optical means, but it may also be effected in any other suitablemanner. As soon as the extension 105 arrives at the level of the sensingmembers 106 or 107, a signal is generated by the respective sensingmember, and as a consequence of the appearance of this signal thedirection of movement of the carrier 104 is reversed in any convenientmanner, such as electrical or mechanical reversal of the driving meansfor the carrier. As a consequence of this operation, the carrier 104,and the traveller 21, will reciprocate periodically be- 6 tween thelimiting positions determined by the positions of the two motionreversing control elements and 101.

In this practical example, according to FIG. 1a, the travellers 21, thatis to say the winding members, are adjustable in position. It isobvious, however, that the invention is not restricted to thisarrangement, but that instead the spindle bed 51 may have its positionadjustable in a similar manner relatively to the winding members,because all that is required is a relative movement between these twocomponents.

In the practical example according to FIGS. 2 and 3, the threaded shafts1.02 and 103 are connected together by means of a gear combination,indicated by the collective reference 108a, in such a manner that thereversing control elements can perform opposite adjusting movements.This is necessary for example for the build of the wound body accordingto FIG. 10. In this figure, as also in FIGS. 11 to 20, the bobbin isindicated by 220 and the configuration of the winding is indicated by221, while the references 222, 223 indicate respectively thelongitudinal position h of the upper reversing control element 100 andthe lower reversing control element 101. In this case, the operatingmember 109 which brings about the adjusting movement is designed as adriving magnet, in the form of a solenoid which, acting through aconnecting rod 110 in response to an applied voltage pulse, operates astepping pawl 111 for advancing the ratchet wheel 112.

The control arrangement (FIG. 3) for deriving the feed function for theadjusting member 109, includes a time interval device 116 connected at114 to the power supply network 115, this time interval device beingsynchronized, as indicated by the functional line 117, with theelectrical drive motor 118 of the yarn delivery device 18 (FIG. 1a), sothat by this means any fluctuation of the yarn delivery speed due topower fluctuations or other causes will be automatically taken intoaccount in the measuring of the time intervals. The individual timeintervals which succeed each other directly without any time spacinghaving the length A/v, wherein A is a constant, preferably adjustable,time factor, and v is the delivery speed of the roller 18.

The synchronization between the motor 118 and the device 116 is put intoeffect in this practical example by providing the motor 118 as asynchronous motor and the time interval transmitter 116 also as asynchronous motor 119 (FIG. 8). Both of these synchronous motors areconnected to the same power supply network 115. The synchronous motor119 drives a cam switch wheel 120, which at each revolution operates aswitching device indicated at 121. The switching pulse thereby caused toappear at the line 122 is impressed upon an amplifier 123 (FIG. 3),whereby the energizing winding 124 of the drive magnet 109 isenergizable as a result of such switching pulse. Preferably theamplifier device 123 is so designed that following a switching pulse thedrive magnet is energizable for performing one switching step.

However, it may be desirable in many cases to design the device 123 insuch a manner that as a result of the appearance of a switching pulse atthe input 122, the drive magnet is energized to perform a predeterminedplurality of stepping movements. Such operation is also within thecontemplation of the invention.

By means of this apparatus in accordance with the invention, asrepresented in FIGS. 2, 3 and 8, during each time interval (which mustbe related to the reciprocating movement of the carrier 104 so as to liewithin the time cycle thereof), the threaded shafts 102 and 103, andtherewith the motion reversing control elements 100 and 101 are adjustedthrough a predetermined amount. The matching of the adjusting motion todifferent winding conditions is specially effected in this case by asuitable adjustment of the time factor A by means of the transmissiongear 119a (FIG. 8) whose transmission ratio is suitably adjustable,preferably in stages, while for the purpose of effecting programmedcontrol of the time factor it is possible to provide a servo motor 250for adjusting the gear transmission ratio of the gear 119a, said motorbeing controllable by the programming device 251.

In many cases, it is desirable to have a build of the bobbin windingwherein the adjusting motion of the reversing control element beginsonly during the period of the winding. Such a wound body is shown inFIG. 11. In this case, the adjusting movement is required to begin atthe time instant t For this purpose, there is provided a controllabletime delay device 125 (FIG. 3) which can take any known form. At thebeginning of the yarn drawing operation, the switch 126 is open and isnot closed until the time instant t is indicated by the delay device125.

The time interval generator 116, as shown in FIG. 8, represents merelyone preferred form of construction. It can, however, be designed in anyother suitable manner, for example, according to FIG. 9. In this case,the time interval generator comprises a counting device 130, which inthis example is supplied with the frequency of the power supply network115 and counts the cycles thereof. The condition of this counting device130 is sensed by a sensing device or detector 131 through a line 131a.Upon reaching a predetermined and preferably adjustable count value, asignal is generated by the sensing device 131 and is applied over theline 132 to the signal generating device 133, which, through the line122, emits a first switching pulse and at the same time sends over theline 134 a reset pulse for resetting the counting mechanism of thecounting device 130. After each resetting, a new count is automaticallyinitiated in accordance with the invention without any intermediatepause.

In the practical example according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the adjustingmember is designed as an electrical servo motor 140, which can becoupled through a gearing, indicated by the general reference 141, andthe electromagnetic couplings 142 and 143 to the threaded shaft 103. Inthe normal case, i.e., during the period of the bobbin filling, thecoupling 143 is energized and the coupling 142 deenergized. The threadedshaft 103 is then driven through the gear wheels 150153 and itselfdrives through the gear wheel 108D the thread shaft 102, this being donein such a manner that the reversing elements 100 and 101 are driven inthe same direction. In this case, configurations of winding can beproduced such as shown, for example, in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14. In the caseof FIG. 12, the gear wheels 146 and 147 have the same number of teeth,while in the case of the wound body according to FIGS. 13 and 14 gearwheels having unequal numbers of teeth are provided.

After the completion of a filling, the motion reversing control elements100 and 101 must be reset into their initial positions. This is effectedin this practical example by means of a high speed resetting device,which is brought into operation by deenergizing the coupling 143 andenergizing the coupling 142 in a manner that will be described in moredetail hereinafter. At the same time, the drive direction of the motoris reversed and this then drives through the shafts 144 and 145 toeffect resetting of the threaded shaft 103 at high speed.

The control arrangement for the motor 140 is again provided with a timeinterval generator 116, which can be designed in any suitable manner,for example, as represented in FIG. 8 or 9. The first switching signalappearing upon the line 122 (FIG. is impressed upon a switching device160 and thereby switches in the motor 140.

The reference 161 indicates a bistable direction changing switchingdevice, whose existing switching position determines the drive directionof the motor 140. For the purpose of bringing into operation the highspeed resetting, the resetting transmitter 162 is automatically ormanually operable, and upon being operated, trips the switching device161 into a position in which the motor 140 resets the motion reversingelements into their initial position. The device 163 which determinesthe length of the adjustment path is not operative during this resettingoperation, so that the resetting is only stopped when the reversingelement 101 reaches the level of the sensing device 164 (FIGS. 4 and 5)and this sensing device then is effective through the pulse formingdevice 165 to impress a resetting pulse on the direction reversingswitching devices 161, whereby this device is switched into its normalposition. Furthermore, by the signals appearing upon the lines 166 and167, a coupling switching device 169 associated with the couplings 142and 143 is operable in such a manner that the couplings 142 or 143 arerespectively energized and de-energized automatically in the mannerabove described.

Upon the output shaft 172 of the motor 140 is arranged a disc providedwith a plurality of magnets 173 arranged at a constant angular spacing(FIG. 4). At each passage of a magnet past the sensing device 174, whichmay advantageously take the form of a Hall generator, there is produceda path adjustment pulse, which is impressed through the line 175 (FIG.5) upon a device 176 generating signals for determining the adjustmentpath length. This device 176 includes an integrating device forintegrating the path length pulses which appear during a time interval.Upon reaching a predetermined integration value, which is preferablyadjustable, there appears upon the line 177 a second switching pulse,whereby the switching device 160 is operated in such a manner that themotor 140 is stopped. Thereafter as soon as a first switching pulse isagain generated by the time interval device 116, this causes, firstly,the resetting to its initial position of the integrating device of thepath length signal generating device 176, and secondly this pulse causesthe switching device 160 to be operated in such a manner that the motor140 is again switched into circuit. This alternate connection anddisconnection of the motor 140 repeats itself during each time interval.

In a preferred practical example, this control arrangement is so devisedthat during a time interval measured by the time interval device 116approximately 3,000 adjusting pulses are generated. The length of onetime interval may in this case advantageously be several seconds, forexample, eight seconds. The integrating device of the control pathsignal generating device is made so adjustable that, after the receptionof a predetermined number of pulses, which in a practical example maylie between 20 and 3,000, a second switching pulse is delivered. In thisway, the mean adjusting velocity of the motor 140 can be varied in theratio of 1:150 by suitable preadjustment of the adjustment path signalgenerating device.

The adjustment path generator 163 may also be of any other suitabledesign, for example, it may be a mechanically operable generator or anelectro-optical generator.

In a preferred practical form of the invention, there is also provided aprogramming generator 180 indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 5, wherebythe adjustment of the signal generator device 176 can be so variedaccording to a predetermined program during a bobbin filling run that,during at least two time intervals, the second switching pulse isgenerated as a consequence of a differing number of adjustment pulses sothat the path increments are likewise of variable magnitude.

In the example according to FIGS. 6 and 7a, there is shown a furtherpreferred practical form of the invention. In this construction, thethreaded shafts 102 and 103 are driven by the separate motors 140 and140a.

The gear 141 associated with the threaded shaft 103 and theelectromagnetic couplings 142 and 143 correspond to the equivalent partsin FIG. 4 so that in this case the description already given inconnection with that figure will apply to the operation of theseelements also. Moreover, the means for generating the adjustment paths163 and 163a correspond in principle to the device 163 of FIG. 4 servingto generate the magnitude of the adjustment path. The motion reversingcontrol element 101 cooperates with a sensing device 164 during the highspeed resetting operation similarly as described in FIG. 4. However, incontrast to that arrangement, the motion reversing control element 100in the present constructional example requires no high speed resettingbecause its adjustment speed is substantially higher than the adjustmentspeed of the motion reversing control element 101.

In the present practical example while the motion reversing controlelement 101 is adjustable always in the same direction, on the otherhand the motion reversing control element 100 is ireci-procated with ahigher mean adjusting velocity between the positional sensing devices180 and 181. For this purpose, the drive direction of the motor 140a isalways reversed when the motion reversing control element 100 arrives atthe level of the sensing device 180 and 181, respectively. By thismeans, it is possible to realize winding configurations such as arerepresented for example in FIGS. 16 and 17. If it should be desirable toarrange also that the control element 101 performs a periodic orquasi-periodic reciprocating motion, in order thereby to produce windingbodies having the winding configurations shown for example in FIG. 18,then it will be possible to design the adjustment device pertainingthereto in a manner corresponding to the design of the adjusting devicefor the motion reversing control element 100, already described in thispractical example and therefore requiring no further description.

Moreover, it is possible to arrange matters so that the adjustmentdevices in FIG. are controlled in such a way that both the motionreversing control elements 100 and 101 are displaced with the same ordifferent relatively low mean velocities in one direction. By this meansit is possible to produce for example configurations of winding bodiesaccording to FIGS. 10 and 12 to 14. If only one reversing controlelement is adjusted, then configurations or windings or winding bodiesaccording to FIG. 19 may be produced.

By adopting a delay device 170 (FIG. 7a) which may be designed in asimilar manner as indicated in connection with the parts 125 and 126 inFIG. 3, it is possible to introduce the adjustment movement of the oneof the motion reversing control elements later than that of the othermotion reversing control element. By this means, it is possible toproduce winding bodies of a configuration similar for example to that inFIG. 20.

Essentially, there are associated with the adjusting motors 140 and 140asuitable control arrangements, each of which comprises time intervalgenera-tors 116 and 116a (FIG. 7a), switching devices 160 and 160a,directional reversing switching devices 161 and 161a, adjusting magnitude generators 163 and 163m and devices 176 and 17611 for generatingadjusting path signals. These individual devices can be designed in themanner already described in connection with FIGS. 2 to 5. They willtherefore not be described here in detail.

The direction reversing switching device 161a is open able by signalsfrom the sensing devices 180 and 181, which are amplified into switchingpulses in the pulse former stages and amplifying stages 182 and 183,respectively. The high speed resetting at the end of a filling isbrought into circuit by means of the generator 185 automatically ormanually. The output of this generator is impressed upon the switchingdevices 161 and 161a through the lines 188 and 1 89. At 190 there isindicated the coupling switching device for the electromagneticcouplings 142 and 14 3. As soon as the reversing control element 101 issituated at the height of the sensing device 164, a switching pulse isproduced by the output of the sensing device through the pulse formerstage 165, whereby the switching device 161 is resettable so that a newfilling can begin.

In this practical example, there are provided separate time intervalcontrol devices 116 and 1160 for the control arrangements for eachadjusting device. This is advantageous in many cases because by thismeans the length of the time intervals for both adjusting devices can bedifferently adjusted, which is especially satisfactory if,

instead of the adjusting drive members and 140a represented in FIG. 6,adjusting drive members having a constant feed determined by the type ofconstruction, for example, stepping mechanisms, are provided. In thecase where separate time interval generating devices need not beemployed, which will be the case mostly when using the adjustmentmembers according to FIG. 6, then the adjustment member 116a (FIG. 7a)can be omitted and instead the output 122 of the time interval device116 can be impressed upon the devices a and 176a through the line 198indicated by the dashed line.

In a preferred practical form of the invention, the device 16-3 forgenerating the length of the adjustment path can be omitted by arrangingthat the motor 140 has a constant adjustment speed during its adjustmentmovement. Such constant adjustment speed can be put into effect by usinga suitable control arrangement. The signal generating device 176 will inthis case include preferably a time measuring device 200 (FIG. 7b) whichis brought into operation as a consequence of the appearance of a firstswitching pulse. After a predetermined, preferably adjustable, timeperiod, this time measuring device 200 operates a signal device 201,which then gencrates a second switching pulse for disconnecting themotor 140. Simultaneously, the time measuring device 200 is reset intoits new position, and this is done in the present example by means ofthe second switching pulse delivered over the resetting line 202 to thetime measuring mechanism 200. The appearance of each first switchingpulse causes the repetition of the above described cycle of operations.

While I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications asknown to a person skilled in the art, and I therefore do not wish to belimited to the details shown and described herein but intend to coverall such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile machine for winding yarn upon a plurality of bobbins ina predetermined selective pattern so as to generate a particular build,including yarn winding means, a reciprocatable lifting member foreffecting relative reciprocating motion in the axial direction of saidbobbins between a support for said yarn winding means and a bobbinsupport and drive means for delivering yarn to said bobbins at acontrollable delivery speed, the improvement essentially consisting ofapparatus for controlling the axial position of the winding point ofapplication of yarn, or the like, upon said bobbins comprising reversingcontrol elements for detecting the extreme positions of saidreciprocatable lifting member along its path of reciprocating motion,means responsive to said reversing control elements for reversingmovement of said reciprocatable lifting member in response to detectionthereof by either reversing control element, and adjusting means foradjusting the position of at least one of said reversing controlelements in the axial direction of said bobbins along said path ofreciprocating motion including timing means for measuring predeterminedcontrol time intervals inversely proportional to the delivery speed ofthe yarn and control means for adjusting the position of the reversingcontrol element during said control time intervals by an amountindependent of the yarn delivery speed.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said timing means includestime interval generator means for generating a first switching pulse inresponse to detection of a preselected control time interval inverselyproportional to the delivery speed of said yarn, and switching meanscontrolled by said first switching pulse for effecting adjustingmovement of said reversing control element.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said time interval generatormeans and said drive means for delivering yarn to said bobbins aresynchronized to a speed responsive characteristic of the control voltageof a common supply source.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said timing means includes afrequency counter device for detecting the control time intervalselected in proportion to a preselected number of cycles of the controlvoltage of a common supply source.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said time interval generatormeans includes a synchronous motor driven by said control voltage insynchronism with said drive means, a rotatable cam disc driven by saidsynchronous motor, and a first signal generator device for generatingsaid first switching pulse in at least one predetermined position ofsaid cam disc.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said time interval generatorsmeans further includes variable gear ratio means connected between saidsynchronous motor and said rotatable cam disc for effecting selectivelyvariable drive transmission therebetween.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said drive means includes anasynchronous motor for delivering yarn to said bobbins and said timeinterval generator means includes a synchronous motor.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said time interval generatormeans includes integrating and pulse generating means for integratingthe control voltage of a common supply source and for generating saidfirst switching pulse and an integrator reset pulse each time apredetermined, adjustable, integration value is reached.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said adjusting means for saidreversing control elements includes adjustable support means for saidreversing control elements, means for operating said adjustable supportmeans to alter the position of said reversing control elements includinga ratchet wheel and stepping pawl, and drive magnet means for actuatingsaid ratchet wheel and stepping pawl in response to a first switchingpulse.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said adjusting means forsaid reversing control elements includes a directionally reversiblemechanical drive.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said adjusting means forsaid reversal control elements further includes gearing and clutch meansfor effecting high speed resetting of at least said one reversingcontrol element.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said adjusting means forsaid reversing control elements further includes means for automaticallydisengaging said adjusting means after said reversing control elementhas traversed a predetermined adjusting motion path.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including a resettablemeasuring means for detecting the actual length of the adjusting pathwhich is traversed by said reversing control element during a given timeinterval, time control means for determining the desired length of theadjusting path, and means responsive to said time control means and saidresettable measuring means for deactivating said switching means after apredetermined, adjustable length of adjusting path has been traversed.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 further including means fordisplacing said reversing control element at a constant speed inresponse to said switching means, said resettable measuring means beingprovided as a time measuring device.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said resettable measuringmeans includes a signal generator generating a second switching pulseapplied to said switching means to effect tie-activation thereof, saidsecond switching pulse being applied also to reset said time controlmeans.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including resettablemeasuring means for detecting the length of the adjusting path traversedby said reversing control element and having a rotatable member whoseangular displacement is proportional to the length of the adjustmentpath of said reversing control element and sensing means for detectingthe amount of displacement of said rotatable member and generating acounting pulse for each 1/ In part of a revolution of said rotatablemember, where m is an integral number, an integrating device forcounting said counting pulses, and means for generating a secondswitching pulse to effect deactivation of said switching means inresponse to said integrating device reaching a predetermined count.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said rotatable member isprovided with at least one means for generating a magnetic field andmeans for sensing said magnetic field.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said sensing means is aHall generator.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said reversing controlelements include an upper control element associated with the upperreversing point of movement of the reciprocatable lifting member and alower control element associated with the lower reversing point ofmovement of the reciprocatable lifting member, said adjusting meansbeing effective to provide for separate adjustment of said upper andlower control elements.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said adjusting meansfurther includes first and second means for detecting the length of theadjustment path of said upper and lower control elements, respectively,and switching means associated with each of said first and seconddetecting means for initiating the adjusting motions of the reversingelements following the occurrence of each first switching pulse andarresting said adjusting motions when predetermined adjusting paths havebeen reached during the respective time interval.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 further including a common timeinterval generator means associated with both of said first and seconddetecting means for generating a switching pulse in response todetection of a preselected control time interval inversely proportionalto the delivery speed of said yarn, said switching pulse actuating saidadjusting means.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 further including a separate timeinterval generator means associated with each of said first and seconddetecting means for generating a switching pulse in response todetection of a preselected control time interval inversely proportionalto the delivery speed of said yarn, said switching pulse actuating saidadjusting means.

23. The method of winding yarn upon a bobbin in a predeterminedselective pattern so as to generate a particular build on said bobbincomprising securing one end of said yarn to said bobbin, rotating saidbobbin and simultaneously delivering yarn thereto at a definite rate,moving said winding point of application of said yarn on said bobbin ina reciprocating manner along a path parallel to the axis of said bobbinbetween selectively determined limits, measuring successive control timeintervals whose duration is proportional to A/ v, where A is a timefactor selectively settable according to required winding conditions andv is the yarn delivery rate, and adjusting at least one extreme limit ofsaid reciprocating path of movement during said time intervals by pathincrements whose length is independent of the yarn delivery rate.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the time factor A is keptconstant during the time period of a full bobbin takeup.

25. The method according to claim 23 wherein the time factor A is variedaccording to a selective program during winding of the bobbin.

26. The method according to claim 23 wherein the magnitude of theincrement of path movement is varied according to a set program duringthe winding of the bobbin.

27. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said timing means includesintegrating and pulse generating means for integrating a magnitudeforming a standard for the delivery speed of said drive means and is soconstructed as to be automatically reset each time it reaches apredetermined integrating value simultaneously with the generation of afirst switching pulse.

28. Apparatus as defined in claim 27 wherein said magnitudeapproximately proportional to the delivery speed is represented by theperiod of the supply voltage of the drive means.

29. Apparatus as defined in claim 27 wherein the integration value atwhich the integrating and pulse generating means is reset is adjustableby means of a program control.

30. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,363 9/ 1956 Stammnitz 24226.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,372,366 8/1964 France.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

